Shortly before Melbourne went public with the announcement that its star draftee would play against the Pies in the Queen’s Birthday fixture, members were alerted to his selection via a text message from club president Jim Stynes.
But it has been a long wait for Demons fans.
A look back at No.1 picks since the inception of the draft in 1986 shows that apart from Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt, Watts has had to wait longer than any other top selection in the past decade to make his debut.
Riewoldt’s wait was more to do with him battling a knee injury throughout the first half of his debut season at Moorabbin.
The star Saint finally got the nod in round 15 of 2000 – a match that turned out to be Malcolm Blight’s last as an AFL coach.
Although he has had to wait some time, Watts will become yet another No.1 pick to graduate to the elite level the year after they were selected by their AFL club.
Inaugural No.1 draft pick Martin Leslie (1986) didn’t make his senior debut until the 1989 season.
Fellow top draft picks Richard Lounder (Richmond's No.1 selection in 1987) and Alex McDonald (Hawthorn, 1988) also waited more than 12 months before they gained their first tastes of the big league.
Since that trio, every No.1 selection has debuted in the following year, with West Coast's Drew Banfield, who made his debut in round 16 of the year following his draft, forced to endure the longest wait.
No.1 draft picks and their debuts:
1986 – Martin Leslie (Brisbane Bears): Round 1, 1989 v St Kilda (lost by 39)
1987 – Richard Lounder (Richmond): Round 5, 1989 v Nth Melb (won by 37)
1988 – Alex McDonald (Hawthorn): Round 11, 1990 v Sydney Swans (won by 49)
1989 – Anthony Banik (Richmond): Round 3, 1990 v Hawthorn (lost by 30)
1990 – Stephen Hooper (Geelong): Round 2, 1991 v St Kilda (won by 26)
1991 – John Hutton (Brisbane Bears): Round 1, 1992 v Carlton (lost by 24)
1992 – Drew Banfield (West Coast): Round 16, 1993 v Essendon (lost by 2)
1993 – Darren Gaspar (Sydney): Round 3, 1994 v Adelaide (lost by 19)
1994 – Jeff White (Fremantle): Round 3, 1995 v Fitzroy (won by 43)
1995 – Clive Waterhouse (Fremantle): Round 3, 1996 v Carlton (won by 53)
1996 – Michael Gardiner (West Coast): Round 4, 1997 v Hawthorn (won by 24)
1997 – Travis Johnstone (Melbourne): Round 1, 1998 v Fremantle (lost by 23)
1998 – Des Headland (Brisbane Lions): Round 13, 1999 v Sydney Swans (won by 35)
1999 – Josh Fraser (Collingwood): Round 1, 2000 v Hawthorn (won by 54)
2000 – Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda): Round 15, 2001 v Adelaide (lost by 97)
2001 – Luke Hodge (Hawthorn): Round 5, 2002 v Richmond (won by 42)
2002 – Brendon Goddard (St Kilda): Round 4, 2003 v Richmond (lost by 26)
2003 – Adam Cooney (W Bulldogs): Round 1, 2004 v West Coast (lost by 7)
2004 – Brett Deledio (Richmond): Round 1, 2005 v Geelong (lost by 62)
2005 – Marc Murphy (Carlton): Round 1, 2006 v Melbourne (won by 21)
2006 – Bryce Gibbs (Carlton): Round 1, 2007 v Richmond (won by 17)
2007 – Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton): Round 3, 2008 v Essendon (lost by 16)
